By Chris Allbritton
ISLAMABAD | Fri Jul 2, 2010 3:56am EDT
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Two suicide bombers struck the biggest Sufi shrine in Pakistan in the eastern city of Lahore on Thursday night, killing at least 41 people and wounding more than 175, officials said.
It was the second major attack in a month in the city, capital of the heartland Punjab province where many militant groups are becoming increasingly active, following twin attacks on a minority sect that left more than 80 people dead.
Below are some questions and answers about the latest attack in Lahore and who might be responsible.
WHO MIGHT BE BEHIND THE ATTACK?
Militants drawn from Punjab who have joined ranks with Taliban in their northwestern bastion -- some of the most feared groups in the country -- and are likely to be high on the list of suspects.
These militants, sometimes called the "Punjabi Taliban," are especially troublesome because they pose a threat to stability in Punjab, Pakistan's most economically important province and the country's traditional seat of power.
Sunni Muslim Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), a notorious al-Qaeda-linked organization which has forged ties with the Taliban, is one of the most well-known groups.
LeJ emerged as a sectarian group in the 1990s targeting minority Shi'ite Muslims but later graduated to more audacious attacks, and is suspected of being behind the truck bombing of Islamabad's Marriott Hotel in 2008 which killed 55 people. Analysts say the group was behind last year's brazen attack on the army headquarters in Rawalpindi, in which more than 20 people were killed.
HOW IS THIS ATTACK DIFFERENT?
It's the first attack on a major shrine in Punjab, the country's heartland, and the first attack on a major Sufi shrine - although there have been attacks on Sufi shrines before in Baluchistan, Islamabad, Peshawar and Swat.
It's not the first attack on a religious site in Lahore. Almost exactly a month ago, twin teams of suicide bombers attacked two mosques in Lahore belonging to Ahmadis, a minority sect who believe they are followers of Islam and that Mohammad was not the final prophet, but whom most Muslims consider to be a heretic sect.
But this attack is likely to hit Pakistanis harder because the Data Gunj Bakhsh shrine is the most popular in Pakistan and most Pakistanis adhere to the Sufi strand of Islam. It's a direct attack on the religious identity of the majority of the country.
WHY ARE THEY ATTACKING RELIGIOUS SITES?
The attackers, assuming they're part of the constellation of radical Sunni groups operating in Pakistan, are violently opposed to differing views of Islam. Shi'ites, Ahmadis and Sufis are all considered heretics or apostates to most of the militant groups, and thus worthy of being killed.
At the same time, mosques and shrines are popular gathering places for Pakistanis and often have poor security, making them soft targets. Attacking mosques sends a powerful message in deeply religious Pakistan, showing that no place is safe and that the government and security forces are powerless to protect people, weakening their already shaky credibility.
WHAT WILL THE RESPONSE BE?
The Punjab government has been slow to recognize the growing threat of militant groups such as LeJ based in there. After the Ahmadi attacks, several provincial officials ruled out any kind of military operation against militant groups along the lines of the army's push into the frontier areas to the west and northwest along the Afghan border to root out the Taliban.
Reprisals for the twin Ahmadi bombings was muted because they are a reviled minority group. But an attack on a popular religious shrine will mean the Punjab government, led by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the main opposition party in parliament, will now be under immense pressure to act.
Punjab officials say they already have 4,000 young men under watch who have to notify police officials if they leave their villages. But analysts have said this is just "rounding up the usual suspects" and not going after the heads of the militant groups. That may be about to change, although the risks to the PML-N and the security forces are great.
The PML-N draws followers from the same pool of supporters of Islamist groups, and moving against them could mean losing votes in future elections. Also, given the strength of the militant groups in Punjab and the level of support they enjoy among the people, there are fears the government forces might lose.
(Writing by Chris Allbritton, editing by Miral Fahmy)
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SGE6600KY.htm
01 Jul 2010 20:00:56 GMT
Source: Reuters
* Second major attack in the city in recent weeks
* Dead bodies scattered all over
* 'Sickening poison of extremism will be driven out'
(Raises death toll, adds colour, details)
By Mubashir Bukhari
LAHORE, Pakistan, July 1 (Reuters) - Three suicide bombers struck a Sufi shrine in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore on Thursday, killing at least 35 people and wounding more than 100, officials said, the second major attack in the city in a month.
Hundreds of devotees were visiting the shrine of the Persian Sufi saint, Syed Ali Hajwairi, commonly known as Data Gunj Bakhsh, in the heart of the city when the attacks occurred. Muslims in Pakistan visit shrines and mosques in large numbers on Thursday nights and Friday.
"Dead bodies are scattered all over the courtyard of the shrine," Reuters photographer Mohsin Raza said from the scene. "There is blood everywhere. Two of the dead were my friends. It's very horrifying," he said in a choked voice.
One of the attackers blew himself up at the gate of the sprawling, marble shrine while two other attacks took place in the basement of the shrine where people were washing for prayers.
Khursro Pervez, a senior government official, said at least 35 people were killed and 125 wounded.
Militants linked to al Qaeda and the Taliban have unleashed a wave of attacks across Pakistan in revenge for military offensives in their bastions in the northwest of the country near the Afghan border.
While most of the reprisal militant attacks have taken place in the northwest, militants have also stepped up attacks in the heartland of the country, mainly the central province of Punjab. Lahore is the capital of Punjab.
Officials have blamed attacks on the "Punjabi Taliban", a term used for militants drawn from Punjab who have joined ranks with Taliban in the northwest.
More than 80 people were killed in twin attacks on the mosques of the minority Ahmadi sect in May.
The shrine at Data Darbar is one of the most famous in Pakistan, attracting hundreds of devotees every night, with Thursdays being the most popular nights. The complex includes a mosque and a police station in the basement.
Farahnaz Ispahani, spokeswoman for President Asif Ali Zardari, condemned the attack. "This sickening poison of extremism will be driven out of our nation and we will not be cowed."
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani said the attack on the shrine showed that "terrorists have no consideration for any religion, faith and belief". (Additional reporting by Mohsin Raza, Kamran Haider, Augustine Anthony and Chris Allbritton; Writing by Zeeshan Haider; Editing by Chris Allbritton and Myra MacDonald)
(For more Reuters coverage of Afghanistan and Pakistan, see: http://www.reuters.com/news/globalcoverage/afghanistanpakistan)
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LAHORE: Three suicide bombers have killed 37 devotees and wounded another 175 at Data Darbar Shrine here late Thursday night, DCO Lahore Sajjad Bhutta and Commissioner Khushro Pervez told media.
25 among injured devotees are said to be critical in condition, hospital sources said adding that emergency has been put in place in all city hospitals.
Two attackers blew themselves up inside the shrine while the third one outside it before hurling hand grenades, he added.
Relief and rescue activities are underway at the blasts site.
A hand grenade has been found near Wazoo Khana of Shrine while police has cordoned off the area.
All the injured, some of them in critical condition, have been shifted to nearby hospitals where emergency has been clamped.
Data Darbar has five doors out of which four were closed. The only door kept open had a body scanner installed with it and it is still unknown how the bombers made their way inside the shrine.
There were a large number of devotees at shrine due to Thursday while ‘Langer’ was happening at the time of explosions.
Following the triple suicide blasts, furious mob also staged protest and pelted security forces with stones, which police took under control by resorting to baton charge and firing teargas.
Police also claimed recovery of two heads and bodies of alleged suicide bombers, adding that three 10 kg suicide jackets were used to carry out suicide blasts.
The situation is under control, police sources confirmed to media.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, strongly deploring the triple suicide bombing at Data Darbar, has issued directives to law enforcement agencies to probe into heinous crime for submission of a report.
Also, Quaid Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has strongly condemned suicide bombings at Data Darbar, calling government for bringing to involved elements to justice.
Elderly men, women and young children were also among killed and injured, witnesses and rescue workers told media.
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Triple suicide attacks kill 40 at Data Darbar
* 175 injured as three suicide bombers blow themselves up inside shrine
* Death toll likely to rise
* 10-15 kilogramme explosives, ball-bearings used in each bomb
Staff Report
LAHORE: Over 40 people were killed and another 175 injured when three suicide attackers blew themselves up inside the shrine of Lahore’s patron saint Syed Ali Hajwairi popularly known as Data Gunj Bakhsh, late on Thursday night.
The death toll was expected to rise further as the compound was jam-packed at the time of the blast due to the special prayers that are offered every Thursday night in the shrine.
Eyewitnesses told Daily Times that a suicide bomber blew himself up in the basement of the building at about 11pm when thousands of visitors, including women and children, were present in the compound.
In the ensuing panic, people started running towards the upper part of the compound and towards the main exit doors. Five minutes later, another suicide bomber detonated himself inside the crowd on the upper portion of the compound. A third bomber blew himself up near the main gate of the shrine.
“At least 35 people were killed and 175 injured in the blasts,” Lahore Commissioner Khusro Pervez said.
At least 25 of those wounded in the attacks are in critical condition, he said.
After minutes of the attacks, rescue officials reached the scene and started the rescue operation.
A heavy police contingent and officials of the bomb disposal squad also reached the spot. Lahore District Coordination Officer Sajjad Bhutta and Capital City Police Officer Aslam Tareen were supervising the rescue efforts.
Police immediately cordoned off the entire area and started a search operation, while officials from bomb disposal squad also checked the entire shrine for explosives.
Police say the bombers had used 10 to 15 kilogrammes of explosives in each blast along with ball-bearings.
Rescue officials shifted more than 175 injured to city’s various hospitals.
Police sources confirmed that the city administration had been receiving threats about such an attack for the last one year. Police had beefed up security at the shrine, but the attackers managed to enter the compound undetected.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani have strongly condemned the attack. Both leaders have expressed deep grief and shock over the loss of precious human lives in the attack.
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